CHILAS. / 



best weapon for mountain-shooting. A double 

 barrel, take it all round, is a dangerous weapon, 

 especially for a beginner, as he is pretty sure to 

 fire his left too soon after his first shot at a re- 

 treating animal, which is perhaps a small head 

 not worth shooting, and if he hits it, which is 

 doubtful, will not kill it clean ; whereas the 

 short time it takes to reload gives the chance of 

 a steady shot during the short pause which a herd 

 generally makes after the first spurt, very often on 

 the sky-line, when they turn to see the cause of 

 the disturbance before finally separating. Then, 

 if you have had patience, is the time to select a 

 good head with a fair chance of killing. Or, if 

 moving on bad ground where they travel slowly, 

 you can get three or more shots. 



My chief object in life after this was to get 

 markhor. So, as my amiable commanding officer 

 sent my name in for another spell of leave, I 

 proceeded once more to Kashmir. 



By the advice of a friend I got Kamala, one 

 of the best shikaris, and started up the Rupel 

 valley, west of Nanga Parbat, with the intention 

 of going over into Chilas. This, Kamala said, 

 was somewhat risky, as Chilas was yagistan 

 literally, a lawless place ; but if I promised to 



